Emergency Medicine Cases

Much has changed in recent years when it comes to TIA risk stratification, workup and antiplatelet therapy. In this podcast we use the overarching theme of timing to elucidate how to distinguish true TIA from the common TIA mimics, the importance of timing in the workup of TIA, why the duration of therapy with dual antiplatelet therapy and timing of starting anticoagulation in patient with atrial fibrillation, contributes to the difference between preventing catastrophic strokes and causing intracranial hemorrhage...

Does epinephrine improve the chances of return of spontaneous circulation at the expense of the brain? In other words, while we know that epinephrine doubles rates of ROSC in all comers in cardiac arrest, there’s never been robust evidence for long term improvements in neurologic functional outcomes. So, are we saving lives, or are we prolonging death? Find out the answer in this Journal Jam podcast with Justin Morgenstern and Rory Spiegel...

This Best Case Ever elucidates the practical challenges of working up pregnant patients in the ED with a suspicion of pulmonary embolism. Since this recording, the first ever multi-center prospective outcome study looking at the pulmonary embolism workup in pregnancy was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. A suggested algorithm and analysis of the study by Lauren Westafer are provided in these show notes....

In this episode Dr. Kathryn Dong, Dr. Michelle Klaiman and Dr. Aaron Orkin discuss the latest in naloxone in opioid overdose cardiac arrest and altered LOA, a 5-step approach to ED opioid withdrawal management and how we can improve mortality and morbidity in patients with opioid use disorder in the era of the opioid epidemic...

In anticipation of EM Cases Episode 116 on Opioid Misuse, Overdose and Withdrawal, Dr. Michelle Klaiman, Addictions and Emergency Medicine specialist, tells her Best Case Ever exemplifying how we can positively impact the lives of ED patients for years to come - even when they present with simple, run-of-the-mill diagnoses - by thinking outside the box and doing brief screening and interventions for patients with opioid use disorder. She discusses alternative pain control options as well as the use of suboxone to treat opioid withdrawal and opioid addiction.Best Case Ever exemplifying how we can positively impact the lives of ED patients for years to come, even when they present with simple, run-of-the-mill diagnoses, by thinking outside the box and doing brief screening and interventions for patients with opioid use disorder.

Managing acutely agitated patients can cause anxiety in even the most seasoned emergency doctor. These are high risk patients and they are high risk to you and your ED staff. It’s important to understand that agitation or agitated delirium is a cardinal presentation – not a diagnosis. There is pathology lurking beneath - psychiatric, medical, traumatic and toxicological diagnoses driving these patients and we just won’t know which until we can safely calm them down...

In anticipation of Episode 115 Management of the Agitated Patient, Dr. Reuben Strayer tells the story of the case that got him interested in developing an expertise around management of the agitated patient that includes an important simple pitfall and pearl about physical restraint. It that could prevent a death in your ED...

In this EM Cases Journal Jam podcast with Anton Helman, Justin Morgenstern, Rory Spiegel, and special guest Jacques Lee we explore the evidence for femoral nerve blocks and fascia iliaca blocks as well as discuss the practical implementation of them in your ED. We answer questions such as: Do regional nerve blocks for hip fractures effectively reduce pain? Do they decrease opioid use? Are they safe compared to standard pain management? Should the block be done prior to x-ray confirmation? and many more...

In Part 1 of Pulmonary Embolism Challenges in Diagnosis Drs. Helman, Lang and DeWit discussed a workup algorithm using PERC and Wells score, the bleeding risk of treated pulmonary embolism, pearls in decision making on whether or not to work up a patient for pulmonary embolism, how risk factors contribute to pretest probability, the YEARS criteria and age-adjusted D-dimer. In this Part 2 we answer questions such as: what are the important test characteristics of CTPA we need to understand? Which patients with subsegmental pulmonary embolism should we treat? When should we consider VQ SPECT? What is the best algorithm for the work up of pulmonary embolism in pregnant patients? How best should we implement pulmonary embolism diagnostic decision tools in your ED? and many more…

Dr. Kerstin DeWit and Dr. Eddy Lang answer the questions that plague us on almost every shift: Which patients require any work-up at all for PE? What’s the utility of PERC and Well’s scores? Should the newer YEARS decision tool supplant Well’s? When should we order a D-dimer? What’s the diagnostic role of CXR, ECG, POCUS, CTA and VQ? How should we work up pregnant patients for PE? How can we use shared decision making strategies for PE to help us do what’s best for our patients, and many more...